Research and Juvenile Competency and the Courts

*MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice. (n.d.). MacArthur Foundation Reasearch Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice. Retrieved October 2, 2009, from http://www.adjj.org/content/index.php
 
In this week’s Application Assignment, you examine various aspects of this interesting area of research and how such research can be applied in a court setting.You also explore juvenile development in general and how developmental issues shape the legal criteria of competence to stand trial for juvenile defendants, both of which can have broad application in the courts.
To prepare for this assignment:

Review the web article, “Issue Brief 1: Adolescent Legal Competence in Court.” Think about how this information might assist a forensic psychology professional who is tasked with assessing a juvenile’s competency to stand trial.  
Using the Walden Library, select a research article dealing with the assessment of juvenile competency to stand trial.  
Review the article you selected and reflect on how the study was conducted as well as how it might assist a forensic psychology professional who is tasked with assessing a juvenile’s competency to stand trial.
 

The assignment (1–2 pages):

Explain the use of forensic psychology research in court settings.
Briefly summarize the research study you selected, including how juvenile competency to stand trial was assessed.
Explain how a forensic psychology professional might use this research study when assessing a juvenile’s competency to stand trial.